We all know some foods are stimulants and some slow you down.
But have you tried using these foods to effect your moods?
Getting the Vitamins And Minerals one needs is of the first concern
Most people can get all the vitamins and minerals they need by eating
properly. The B complex is an extremely important group of nutrients
that the body must acquire through the diet or produce via the
intestinal flora to enable it to transform food into energy,
maintain a
strong immune system, balance many of the body’s hormones, and perform
a wide variety of other tasks.
Many things can contribute to vitamin B deficiencies. Eating Junk
foods and bread products high in sugar and white refined flour
processed foods (lack nutrients and may contain many additives also
fills one up and leaves no room for healthy foods. ), conventionally
grown produce (are sprayed with pesticides and stored for such long
lengths of time they lack nutrients by the time we buy them.), Using
alcohol (more than two drinks a day can deplete B vitamins.),living a
high stress lifestyle, environmental pollution, inadequate digestion,
malnutrition, illness, and a vegetarian or vegan diet can all contribute.
Due to the fact that a good percentage of the U.S. population consumes
vitamin-deficient foods raised in vitamin deficient soils along with a
combination of one or more of the aforementioned problems, vitamin B
deficiencies have become commonplace.
Some of the problems one experiences with deficiencies are:mild to
severe depression,forgetfulness, vague fear, uneasiness to panic ,mood
swings,loss of ability to concentrate, fatigue, insomnia or sleep disturbances.
The richest food sources of B-1 are brewer’s or nutritional yeast,
brown rice, egg yolks, fish, legumes, liver, nuts, peas, poultry, rice
bran, dulse, kelp, spirulina, wheat germ and whole grains. A high
carbohydrate diet will increase the need for thiamin and the use of
antibiotics, sulfa drugs, and oral contraceptives may decrease the
body’s thiamin level.
The foods providing the highest levels of B-2 are brewer’s or
nutritional yeast, almonds, wheat germ, wild rice, egg yolks, legumes,
liver, fish, and poultry.
Niacin is found in brewer’s or nutritional yeast, liver, broccoli,
carrots, cheese, eggs, fish, raw milk, peanuts, potatoes, tomatoes,
dandelion greens, and wheat germ.
Most fresh vegetables are good sources for B-5. Brewer’s and
nutritional yeast, liver, eggs, mushrooms, avocados, broccoli, whole
grains, bran, peanuts, cashews, legumes, and soybeans are especially
high in B-5.
Most foods contain some B-6 but those that are the best sources include
brewers or nutritional yeast, sunflower seeds, wheat germ, walnuts,
carrots, legumes, soybeans, chicken, eggs, fish, organ meats, spinach,
blackstrap molasses, and whole grains.
The largest amounts of B-12 are found in nutritional yeast, liver,
clams, eggs, meats, fish, and dairy products. Some B-12 is available
from sea vegetables such as dulse, kelp, kombu, and nori.
Good sources for biotin are nutritional yeast, soybeans, whole grains,
egg yolks, milk, meat, poultry, and saltwater fish.
Choline is a major ingredient in lecithin and lecithin makes up about
30% of the dry weight of the brain. Lecithin provides other important
nutrients including phospholipids, fats, and glycolipids. Choline is
also found in egg yolks, green leafy vegetables, liver, soybeans,
yeast, and wheat germ. The best supplemental source is phosphatidyl
choline.
All dark leafy greens (the foliage that folic acid is named after) are
good food sources of folic acid. These include kale, spinach, beet
greens, and chard. Other sources are nutritional yeast, rice germ,
wheat germ, blackeye peas, beans and lentils, asparagus, liver,
soybeans, wheat bran, and walnuts.
Inositol Whole grains, nutritional yeast, lecithin, citrus fruits,
nuts, seeds, legumes, unrefined molasses, meats, and dairy.
By just reading through the list above about what food sources of
Vitamin B complex are one can see that they do not include what is
generally eaten in the American diet. Add factors like depleted soil,
high stress life styles and one can see how deficiencies have become
commonplace. Just popping B complex pills does not cure the problem.
Only changing the way we eat can do that.
One of the reasons I personally was convinced to include these foods in
my diet besides feeling really good when I did was that the B complex
vitamins curb food cravings. I also raised a small garden without
pestisides this year. I do not drink alcohol and I have looked at ways to reduce stress.
Huge dietary changes do not work for most of us but changing one or two
things in your diet each month adds up and can make you feel a whole
lot better. Try small changes like putting spinach on sandwiches
instead of lettuce, replace your salad greens put in things like kale,
swiss chard, other dark green vegetable, try adding asparagus to a
salad. Eat a handful of soy nuts, sunflower seeds, almonds, or walnuts
as a snack. Eat fresh fruit for an evening snack instead of having a Big Mac attack.
